| Free email services are very popular and rightfully so. | | | | to set up an alternateemail address or a secret |
| They're easy to set up, accessible almost anywhere | | | | question and answer that you mightuse to prove |
| you havean internet connection, and best of all | | | | that you are who you say you are. Even if youhave |
| they're free! | | | | set up the appropriate information a savvy |
| Unfortunately putting all your eggs into this | | | | accountthief will have changed it almost immediately. |
| particularbasket can be a frustrating recipe for | | | | If you areable to get assistance you may not be able |
| eventual disaster. | | | | to actually provethat you are the account's rightful |
| Surprisingly it's not that uncommon not only for | | | | owner. |
| individuals,but even for some businesses to use | | | | The result is simple regardless of how it happened or |
| obviously free emailservices as their primary or only | | | | whatpath you take: everything in your free email |
| means of contact. | | | | account isgone. |
| It's a huge mistake. | | | | If you're thinking "it can't happen to me", rest |
| Remember the old adage: "you get what you pay | | | | assured ithappens much more often than you might |
| for." | | | | think. |
| The issue turns out to be a frighteningly simple one: if | | | | So what's the solution? |
| youlost your email account and everything in it would | | | | There are two: |
| you beable to get it back? In most cases when it | | | | One: spring for a paid email account with a |
| comes to freeemail services the answer is a | | | | reputableprovider that offers real time telephone |
| resoundingno. | | | | support. The mostcommon source for this might well |
| The most common scenario is simple password loss | | | | be your own ISP, thoughthere are plenty of |
| throughtheft. Someone gets into your account and | | | | providers. The good news here is that itdoesn't need |
| deletes all ofyour email and contacts. You might login | | | | to be expensive. |
| one day to an emptyaccount - if you can log in at all. | | | | Two: Take responsibility for backing up your free |
| There are many otherreasons that you might lose | | | | emailaccount. The best way to do this is to access |
| access to your account, andwhile they might be less | | | | your freeemail account using a POP3/SMTP email |
| common the results are the same:everything is gone. | | | | client like Outlook |
| The normal approach when this happens is to | | | | Express, Outlook, Thunderbird, Windows Live Mail and |
| contact customerservice and have them restore | | | | manyothers. Using a PC-based email client ensures |
| your account. There are twoproblems with this line of | | | | that all yourdata - both email and address book - is |
| reasoning: finding that customerservice, and proving | | | | always on your owncomputer where you can and |
| that you're the rightful owner of theaccount. | | | | should regularly back it upyourself. No matter what |
| Most of the popular free email services have | | | | happens to the free serviceeverything is preserved |
| limitedcustomer service resources at best. Your | | | | on your machine. Not all freeservices support POP3 |
| chances of actuallyreaching someone who can help | | | | SMTP, but there are approaches toaccessing the |
| you are often quite slim. | | | | most popular services this way. |
| Those that do offer support typically do so via email | | | | Free email accounts most definitely have a place in |
| or webforms only, so you'll need a second email | | | | youroverall strategy - they're perfect as "throw |
| account somewherein order to be able to interact | | | | away" accountsfor example. But as soon as you |
| with them. And any responseor aid most certainly | | | | consider what you're doingwith your free email |
| won't be fast. | | | | account "important", then it's time totake steps to |
| If you're like many folks you hesitate to put your | | | | make sure that you're appropriately coveredshould |
| actualpersonal information into your free email profile | | | | something happen to that account. |
| - often avery sensible privacy precaution. If you're | | | | It's more likely than you think. |
| like even morepeople you may never have bothered | | | | |